EP4217686B1 - Verfahren zur messung der durchflussrate eines fluids in einer leitung - Google Patents

Verfahren zur messung der durchflussrate eines fluids in einer leitung

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Publication number
EP4217686B1
EP4217686B1 EP21793980.0A EP21793980A EP4217686B1 EP 4217686 B1 EP4217686 B1 EP 4217686B1 EP 21793980 A EP21793980 A EP 21793980A EP 4217686 B1 EP4217686 B1 EP 4217686B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cycle
transducer
ultrasound
given cycle
control unit
Prior art date
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Active
Application number
EP21793980.0A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP4217686A1 (de
Inventor
Marcel Guwang
Maxime MORIN
Alain Ramond
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sontex Ag
Original Assignee
Integra Metering Ag
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Application filed by Integra Metering Ag filed Critical Integra Metering Ag
Publication of EP4217686A1 publication Critical patent/EP4217686A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP4217686B1 publication Critical patent/EP4217686B1/de
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
    • G01F1/66—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
    • G01F1/667—Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters
    • G01F1/668—Compensating or correcting for variations in velocity of sound
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
    • G01F1/66—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
    • G01F1/66—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
    • G01F1/662—Constructional details

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for measuring the flow rate of a fluid in a pipe.
  • the invention also relates to a flow meter adapted for implementing such a flow rate measurement method.
  • the ultrasonic transducer operating as a transmitter during a given cycle functions as a receiver during the cycle following that given cycle.
  • the ultrasonic transducer operating as a receiver during a given cycle functions as an emitter during the cycle following that given cycle.
  • the emission stage of the second cycle performed follows the reception stage of the first cycle after an intercycle duration of a few milliseconds (4ms) during which the ultrasound dissipates.
  • This process further includes a step of calculating a fluid flow rate in which the fluid flow rate is calculated from a difference between the propagation time measured during the first measurement cycle and the propagation time measured during the second measurement cycle.
  • Calculating fluid flow rate from the difference between two propagation times yields more reliable results than calculating it from a single propagation time. This is because calculating fluid flow rate from the difference between two propagation times reduces the influence of environmental factors on propagation time measurements.
  • This process can be repeated in order to measure several flow rates at different times.
  • phase-compensated time-of-flight measurement method Methods for measuring fluid flow in a pipe between two transducers are also known, using a phase-compensated time-of-flight measurement method. This measurement method is also known as "phase shift.”
  • the documents EP 1 913 342 And EP 3 355 035 They describe such methods for measuring the propagation time of an ultrasonic wave stream by phase compensation. More precisely, this method consists of emitting an ultrasonic wave stream from a first transmitting transducer towards a second transducer acting as a receiver. The propagation time of the wave stream is then determined by the phase difference measured between the emitted wave stream and the received wave stream. This measurement method implies that the calculations of the fluid flow speed in the pipe are performed in the frequency domain.
  • the invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.
  • the invention also aims to provide such a flow measurement method that is simple, fast and energy-efficient.
  • the invention also aims to provide a suitable flow meter to implement such a flow measurement method.
  • the cycle directly following the given cycle refers to the first cycle that follows the given cycle in the sequence of cycles performed in the measurement process.
  • the term “the cycle directly preceding the given cycle” refers to the last cycle that precedes the given cycle in the sequence of cycles performed in the measurement process.
  • the difference made during the flow rate calculation step is multiplied by -1, every other cycle, in order to maintain a result of the same sign.
  • the said intercycle time is a few milliseconds, that is to say, a duration sufficient for the ultrasonic waves to dissipate.
  • said intercycle time is greater than the dissipation time of the ultrasonic waves, in particular greater than 15 ms, in particular between 15 ms and 4000 ms (4 seconds), and more particularly between 100 ms and 2000 ms (2 seconds) and for example between 200 ms and 800 ms.
  • the fluid flow rate is determined from a predetermined table in which propagation time difference results are associated with flow rates.
  • the table may also take into account the fluid temperature.
  • the measurement method includes a step of at least partially putting the control unit into standby between each cycle.
  • the method when the control unit is woken up to perform a flow measurement step, the method includes a stabilization period for the control unit, each cycle being performed During the stabilization period of the control unit, to compensate for the instability of the electronics, particularly the transducers and the control unit itself, the ultrasonic wave emission step of each cycle is performed at the same point within the stabilization period. This ensures that for several successive cycles, the ultrasonic wave is emitted in the same state of instability. Repeating the steps of each cycle according to a specific sequence compensates for errors that may arise during the control unit's stabilization period. Furthermore, this reduces the control unit's wake-up time and therefore lowers energy consumption.
  • the ultrasonic wave is generated by a first transducer operating as a transmitter from a square wave electrical pulse.
  • emitting a single electrical pulse to generate an ultrasonic wave improves measurement accuracy by providing an ultrasonic wave with a short signal.
  • the signal can be half a wavelength long. This reduces the wake-up time of the flow meter electronics and the electrical energy consumption.
  • the emission step is carried out over a time interval of less than 1 ⁇ s.
  • the constancy of the duration of the time interval over which the emission of the ultrasonic wave is carried out helps to compensate for errors that may result from the stabilization period.
  • the control unit comprises two clocks.
  • a first clock is used to count the majority of the propagation time, while a second clock is used to obtain a precise measurement of the propagation time.
  • the second clock is triggered as close as possible to the moment the ultrasonic wave is received by the second transducer, which operates as a receiver.
  • the first clock starts each cycle after the intercycle time.
  • the invention also extends to a flow meter adapted to implement a process according to the invention.
  • the first and second transducers are designed to be mounted on a pipe so that they are positioned opposite each other diagonally to the pipe's longitudinal axis.
  • a flow meter comprising two transducers designed to be positioned inside the pipe, opposite each other along the pipe's longitudinal axis.
  • a flow meter comprising a A single ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic wave reflector are positioned inside the pipe. This single ultrasonic transducer is then placed opposite the reflector so that it can emit and then receive ultrasonic waves by reflecting them off the reflector.
  • the first and second transducers are identical.
  • the flow meter comprises said pipe on which the two ultrasonic transducers are mounted, this pipe having two longitudinal ends comprising a connecting element.
  • the invention also relates to a flow measurement method and a flow meter characterized, in combination or not, by all or part of the features mentioned above or below. Regardless of the formal presentation given, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the various features mentioned above or below should not be considered as closely or inextricably linked to each other; the invention may relate to only one of these structural or functional features, or only part of these structural or functional features, or only part of one of these structural or functional features, or any grouping, combination or juxtaposition of all or part of these structural or functional features.
  • the flow meter 20 shown in the figure 2 is adapted to implement the measurement method 28.
  • This flowmeter 20 comprises two ultrasonic transducers 23a, 23b mounted on a pipe 21 extending longitudinally along and around a theoretical longitudinal axis 27.
  • the pipe 21 includes a wall delimiting a passage through which a fluid 26 can flow.
  • the transducers 23a, 23b are mounted on the wall of the pipe 21 and arranged opposite each other in a direction 25 diagonal to the longitudinal axis 27 of the pipe 21.
  • Each transducer 23a, 23b is adapted to emit ultrasonic waves and to receive ultrasonic waves.
  • each transducer 23a, 23b can function as a transmitting transducer, emitting ultrasonic waves, or as a receiving transducer, receiving ultrasonic waves. Specifically, when a transducer 23a, 23b functions as a transmitting transducer, it is designed to convert an electrical signal into an ultrasonic wave. Furthermore, when a transducer 23a, 23b functions as a receiving transducer, it is designed to convert an ultrasonic wave into an electrical signal.
  • the transducers 23a, 23b are arranged so that an ultrasonic wave emitted by one of these two transducers can propagate through the pipe 21 along said diagonal direction 25 to be directly received by the other transducer without intermediate reflection of the ultrasonic wave on a wall of the pipe.
  • a flow meter comprising two transducers positioned inside the pipe, opposite each other along the pipe's longitudinal axis.
  • a flow meter comprising a single ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic wave reflector located inside the pipe. This single ultrasonic transducer is then positioned opposite the reflector so that it can emit ultrasonic waves and then receive them by reflecting them off the reflector. This transducer thus functions first as a transmitter and then as a receiver.
  • the flow meter 20 also includes a control unit 24 connected to the transducers 23a, 23b by electrically conductive links 22.
  • the control unit includes at least one integrated circuit, notably selected from among a microcontroller, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a programmable logic circuit.
  • the control unit also includes memory.
  • the control unit also includes a pulse generator, a signal amplifier, a zero-crossing detector, a time capture device, a sequencing state machine, and a computing processor.
  • the control unit includes at least one real-time clock.
  • the control unit includes two clocks. A first clock is used to count the majority of the propagation time. This clock operates at a frequency above 10 MHz, for example, on the order of 16 MHz. A second clock is used to obtain a precise measurement of the propagation time.
  • This second clock is triggered as close as possible to the moment the ultrasonic wave is received by the transducer operating as a receiver.
  • This second clock operates at a higher frequency than the first clock, specifically at a frequency above 1 GHz, for example, on the order of 26 GHz.
  • This control unit 24 is suitable for controlling each transducer 23a, 23b to operate as either a transmitter or a receiver transducer. Specifically, when one of the two transducers 23a, 23b is controlled to operate as a transmitter transducer, the other transducer 23a, 23b is controlled to operate as a receiver transducer.
  • control unit 24 is adapted to supply the transducer 23a, 23b, controlled as a transmitting transducer, with an electrical signal, called the control signal, via the electrically conductive link 22 connecting the control unit 24 to this transducer 23a, 23b.
  • This transducer 23a, 23b, operating as a transmitting transducer is thus adapted to convert this control signal into an ultrasonic wave which then propagates through the conduit 21 to the other transducer operating as a receiving transducer.
  • control unit 24 is adapted to acquire an electrical signal, called the receive signal, generated by the transducer 23a, 23b controlled to operate as a receive transducer, this receive signal being generated from an ultrasonic wave received by this transducer operating as a receive transducer and transmitted to the control unit 24 via the electrically conductive link 22 connecting the control unit 24 to this transducer operating as a receive transducer.
  • the receive signal an electrical signal generated by the transducer 23a, 23b controlled to operate as a receive transducer, this receive signal being generated from an ultrasonic wave received by this transducer operating as a receive transducer and transmitted to the control unit 24 via the electrically conductive link 22 connecting the control unit 24 to this transducer operating as a receive transducer.
  • control unit is adapted to measure the propagation time Tprop of an ultrasonic wave in the pipe 21 between a transducer 23a, 23b emitting this ultrasonic wave and the other transducer 23a, 23b.
  • control unit uses its pair of clocks to measure the propagation time from a control signal emitted by the processing unit 24 and a reception signal emitted by the receiving transducer and acquired by the processing unit 24.
  • control unit 24 is adapted to control a generation of successive cycles, as will now be explained with reference to the Figures 1 And 3 , in particular in the non-limiting case of six successive cycles noted C 1 to C 6 .
  • the ultrasonic wave is emitted over a predefined emission time interval 40 (see figure 3 ).
  • the ultrasonic wave is received over a reception time interval 41 (see figure 3 ).
  • the ultrasonic wave is generated by the transducer, operating as a transmitter, from a square wave electrical pulse, for example, with a duration of half a wavelength, or from a square wave signal with a longer duration.
  • the predefined transmission time interval 40 is less than 1 ⁇ s, more particularly between 100 ns and 250 ns, for example, on the order of 125 ns.
  • the predefined reception time interval 41 is less than 40 ⁇ s, more particularly between 2 ⁇ s and 20 ⁇ s, for example, on the order of 5 ⁇ s.
  • the measurement method comprises at least three successive cycles.
  • the term "directly,” particularly in the expressions "cycle C i+1 directly following the given cycle C i " and "cycle C i-1 directly preceding the given cycle C i ,” means that the cycle C i+1 directly following the given cycle C i corresponds to the first cycle performed after the given cycle C i , and that the cycle C i-1 directly preceding the given cycle C i corresponds to the last cycle performed before the given cycle C i .
  • the given cycle C i may correspond to any cycle of a measurement method according to the invention.
  • Transducers 23a and 23b operating as transmitters and receivers, are selected alternately between two successive cycles.
  • transducers 23a and 23b operating as transmitters for a given cycle C ⁇ sub>i ⁇ /sub>, operate as receivers for a cycle C ⁇ sub>i+1 ⁇ /sub> that directly follows cycle C ⁇ sub>i ⁇ /sub>.
  • transducers 23a and 23b operating as transmitters, are selected alternately between two successive cycles.
  • transducers 23a and 23b, operating as transmitters for a given cycle C ⁇ sub>i ⁇ /sub> operate as receivers for a cycle C ⁇ sub>i+1 ⁇ /sub> that directly follows cycle C ⁇ sub> i ⁇ /sub> .
  • the ultrasonic wave is emitted by a first transducer 23a, 23b functioning as a transmitting transducer towards the second transducer 23a, 23b functioning as a receiving transducer.
  • the ultrasonic wave is emitted in a first direction of propagation relative to the direction of fluid flow 26, for example, upstream.
  • the ultrasonic wave is emitted by the second transducer 23a, 23b functioning as a transmitting transducer towards the first transducer 23a, 23b functioning as a receiving transducer.
  • the ultrasonic wave is emitted in a second direction of propagation opposite to the first direction, for example, downstream.
  • the flow measurement method 28 allows the flow rate of a fluid 26 flowing in the pipe 21 between the two transducers 23a, 23b to be measured at several given times.
  • FIG 3 gives time diagrams corresponding to six successive cycles C 1 to C 6 .
  • Line 29 is a timing diagram representing the transmission stages for which transducer 23a operates as the transmitting transducer. When a transmission stage 35 is in progress, it is represented by a notch on line 29.
  • Line 30 is a timing diagram representing the reception stages for which transducer 23b operates as a receiving transducer. When a reception stage 36 is in progress, it is represented by a signal on line 30.
  • Line 31 is a timing diagram representing the transmission stages for which transducer 23b operates as the transmitting transducer. When a transmission stage 35 is in progress, it is represented by a notch on line 31.
  • Line 32 is a timing diagram representing the reception stages for which transducer 23a operates as a transducer receiver. When a reception step 36 is in progress, it is represented by a signal on line 32.
  • Line 33 is a time diagram representing flow calculation steps, described in more detail below.
  • a flow calculation step 39 When a flow calculation step 39 is in progress, it is represented by a slot on line 33.
  • the arrows 34 between the calculation steps and the cycles indicate for which cycle the fluid flow rate 26 is calculated (this calculated flow rate then being representative of the fluid flow rate 26 flowing in the pipe 21 during the cycle pointed to by the arrow 34).
  • step 35 the transmission of a given cycle C ⁇ sub>i ⁇ /sub>
  • step 36 the reception of the cycle C ⁇ sub>i-1 ⁇ /sub> immediately preceding said cycle C ⁇ sub>i ⁇ /sub>, by a duration, called the intercycle duration 42, greater than or equal to 15 ms. More specifically, this intercycle duration 42 is between 125 ms and 4 s, for example, on the order of 500 ms.
  • This intercycle duration 42 can be fixed or variable.
  • the first clock allows each cycle to start after said intercycle duration 42.
  • the process includes at least one fluid flow calculation step 39 in which the flow rate of a fluid flowing through the pipeline at a given time during a cycle is calculated.
  • Each fluid flow calculation step 39 can be performed by the control unit. Alternatively, there is nothing preventing the provision of an external calculation unit to perform the flow calculation steps.
  • the flow calculation steps are preferably performed at the time of the cycles, as illustrated by line 33 of the figure 3 However, the flow rate calculation steps can also be performed between cycles.
  • the fluid flow rate is determined from a predetermined table in which propagation time difference results are associated with flow rates.
  • the table may also take into account the fluid temperature.
  • the flow rate D 1 calculated during calculation step 39a corresponds to the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe at the time of cycle C 2
  • the flow rate D 2 calculated during calculation step 39b corresponds to the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe at the time of cycle C 3
  • the flow rate D 3 calculated during calculation step 39c corresponds to the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe at the time of cycle C 4 .
  • a flow measurement method provides more reliable flow rates than those obtained by known flow measurement methods.
  • known flow measurement methods comprise two successive cycles, each cycle including a step of emitting an ultrasonic wave by a first transducer, similar to step 35, a step of receiving the ultrasonic wave by a second transducer, similar to step 36, and a step of measuring the propagation time of the ultrasonic wave between the two transducers, similar to step 37, with the roles of emitting and receiving the first and second transducers being reversed for two successive cycles.
  • the intercycle time is on the order of 4 ms, and the flow rate is calculated from the difference between the ultrasonic wave propagation times measured for two successive cycles.
  • the operating conditions of the flow meter during a first cycle may differ from the operating conditions during a second cycle.
  • the measurement of the propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted during the second cycle may be distorted by echoes in the pipe of the ultrasonic wave emitted during the first cycle due to the approximately 4 ms interval between these two cycles.
  • the flow rate calculation may also be distorted by a change in temperature of the fluid flowing in the pipe or a change in the temperature of the control unit between two successive cycles.
  • a flow measurement method makes it possible to calculate the flow rate from ultrasonic wave propagation time measurements carried out under the same operating conditions of the flow meter or at least to compensate for an asymmetry in the operating conditions of the flow meter.
  • a flow measurement method prevents an echo in the pipe of an ultrasonic wave emitted during a given cycle from interfering with the measurement of the propagation time of an ultrasonic wave emitted during a subsequent cycle.
  • this intercycle time 42 is sufficiently long for the echoes in the pipe to dissipate.
  • a flow measurement method makes it possible to compensate for a linear evolution of the operating conditions of the flowmeter, in particular a linear evolution of the temperature, by inserting an intercycle duration 42 greater than or equal to 15ms (in particular a fixed duration) between two successive cycles and by the fact that the flow of the fluid in the pipe at the time of a given cycle C i is calculated from a difference between the propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted during this given cycle C i and an average of the propagation times of the ultrasonic wave emitted during the cycle C i-1 directly preceding said given cycle and of the ultrasonic wave emitted during the cycle C i+1 directly following said given cycle.
  • control unit can be easily programmed to implement such a method (the intercycle time between each cycle being preferably constant, alternating the operating mode of each ultrasonic transducer between two cycles, that is to say alternating between operation as a transmitting transducer and operation as a receiving transducer).
  • flow rates calculated according to a flow measurement method according to the invention are more accurate and reliable than those calculated according to known flow measurement methods, even though in a flow measurement method according to the invention the intercycle time 42 between two successive cycles is long compared to that between two cycles of known measurement methods.
  • a flow measurement method according to the invention demonstrates that a more reliable flow rate than those that can be calculated according to known flow measurement methods can be obtained by separating each cycle with an intercycle time 42 greater than 15 ms.
  • a flow measurement method has the advantage of calculating a flow rate for each cycle after three cycles, unlike known flow measurement methods where a single fluid flow rate is calculated every two cycles.
  • a method according to the invention also makes it possible to obtain reliable flow rate measurements while spacing the cycles further apart, thus reducing energy consumption.
  • a measurement method includes a step 38 of at least partially putting the control unit 24 into standby mode between each cycle.
  • the control unit 24 is in standby mode, at least some of its electronic components are not powered on.
  • the amplifier and time counters are not powered on.
  • the processor is also not powered on when the control unit 24 is in standby mode; the entire unit 24 is then in standby mode. Since the control unit 24 is in standby mode for the intercycle duration 42, the two ultrasonic transducers 23a, 23b are not electrically powered.
  • the first clock allows the control unit to be woken up so as to perform each cycle; that is, the necessary electronic components of the control unit 24 are powered on again. The calculation steps can then be performed when the control unit 24 is awake during the cycles.
  • known measurement methods may include several successive flow measurement steps, each comprising a first and second cycle such as those previously described.
  • the flow measurement steps are generally separated by a duration of approximately 0.5 seconds.
  • the control unit can be put into standby mode between flow measurement steps to reduce its power consumption.
  • the first cycle of that step may be performed before a stabilization period of the control unit is complete.
  • the operating state of the control unit's electronic components may change before reaching a desired state (e.g., capacitor charging, electronic heating). This period of transient stabilization (or "initialization" period) can therefore distort the measurements because the operating state of the electronic components of the control unit may be different between the two cycles of the same flow measurement step.
  • a flow measurement method In a flow measurement method according to the invention, putting the control unit into standby mode between each cycle ensures that the electronic components of the control unit 24 maintain the same operating state for each cycle. This is because each cycle can be performed during the control unit's stabilization period. Errors that might arise from this stabilization period are thus compensated for. Therefore, a flow measurement method according to the invention improves the accuracy of the calculated flow rates. Furthermore, putting the control unit into standby mode between each cycle reduces the flow meter's energy consumption.
  • the invention may be the subject of numerous variations and applications other than those described above.
  • the different structural and functional characteristics of each The embodiments described above should not be considered as combined and/or closely and/or inextricably linked to one another, but rather as mere juxtapositions.
  • the structural and/or functional features of the various embodiments described above may be juxtaposed or combined in whole or in part in any different manner.
  • the pipe 21 may be included within the flow meter, with the pipe then having connecting elements at its longitudinal ends to allow connection to a pipeline network.
  • the flow meter may incorporate more than one pair of ultrasonic transducers.
  • a processing unit may then be associated with each pair of transducers.
  • a single processing unit may successively control the different pairs of transducers.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Verfahren zur Messung der Durchflussrate eines Fluids in einer Leitung (21) mithilfe von mindestens zwei Ultraschall-Messwandlern, wobei das Verfahren eine Erzeugung von aufeinander folgenden Zyklen umfasst, die durch eine Steuereinheit (24) gesteuert werden, wobei jeder Zyklus umfasst:
    - einen Schritt (35) des Sendens einer Ultraschallwelle durch einen ersten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) unter den mindestens zwei Ultraschall-Messwandlern;
    - einen Schritt (36) des Empfangens der Ultraschallwelle durch einen zweiten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) unter den mindestens zwei Ultraschall-Messwandlern; und
    - einen Schritt (37) des Messens einer Ausbreitungszeit der Ultraschallwelle von dem ersten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bis zu dem zweiten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b),
    wobei der erste Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei einem gegebenen Zyklus dem zweiten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei einem auf den gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar folgenden Zyklus entspricht und wobei der zweite Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei einem gegebenen Zyklus dem ersten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei dem auf den gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar folgenden Zyklus entspricht,
    wobei das Verfahren dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass ein gegebener Zyklus von einem dem gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar vorausgehenden Zyklus um eine Dauer, Zwischenzyklusdauer (42) genannt, größer oder gleich 15 ms getrennt ist, und dass es mindestens einen Schritt (39) des Berechnens der Durchflussrate des Fluids umfasst, wobei eine Durchflussrate des Fluids, das zum Zeitpunkt eines gegebenen Zyklus in der Leitung fließt, ausgehend von einer Differenz zwischen der für den gegebenen Zyklus gemessenen Ausbreitungszeit und einem Mittelwert zwischen der für den vorhergehenden Zyklus gemessenen Ausbreitungszeit und der für den auf den gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar folgenden Zyklus gemessenen Ausbreitungszeit berechnet wird.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Zwischenzyklusdauer (42) zwischen 15 ms und 4000 ms liegt.
  3. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es einen Schritt (38) des mindestens partiellen Versetzens der Steuereinheit (24) in den Standby-Betrieb zwischen jedem Zyklus umfasst.
  4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, wobei, wenn die Steuereinheit wieder geweckt wird, um einen Schritt des Messens der Durchflussrate durchzuführen, das Verfahren einen Stabilisierungszeitraum der Steuereinheit umfasst, wobei jeder Zyklus während des Stabilisierungszeitraums der Steuereinheit durchgeführt wird.
  5. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, wobei die Ultraschallwelle von einem ersten Messwandler (23a, 23b), der als Sender arbeitet, ausgehend von einem elektrischen Rechteckimpuls erzeugt wird.
  6. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, wobei der Schritt des Sendens (35) gemäß einem Zeitintervall von weniger als 1 µs ausgeführt wird.
  7. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, wobei die Steuereinheit (24) zwei Uhren umfasst, wobei eine erste Uhr dazu verwendet wird, den überwiegenden Teil der Ausbreitungszeit zu zählen, während eine zweite Uhr dazu verwendet wird, eine genaue Messung der Ausbreitungszeit zu erhalten, wobei die zweite Uhr ganz kurz vor dem Empfangszeitpunkt der Ultraschallwelle durch den als Empfänger arbeitenden zweiten Messwandler (23a, 23b) ausgelöst wird.
  8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, wobei die erste Uhr jeden Zyklus nach der Zwischenzyklusdauer (42) startet.
  9. Durchflussmesser, umfassend:
    - mindestens zwei Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b), die dazu geeignet sind, an einer Leitung (21) angebracht zu werden,
    - eine Steuereinheit (24), die dazu programmiert ist, eine Erzeugung von aufeinander folgenden Zyklen zu steuern, von denen jeder umfasst:
    ∘ einen Schritt (35) des Sendens einer Ultraschallwelle durch einen ersten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) unter den mindestens zwei Ultraschall-Messwandlern;
    ∘ einen Schritt (36) des Empfangens der gesendeten Ultraschallwelle durch einen zweiten Ultraschall-Messwandler unter den mindestens zwei Ultraschall-Messwandlern; und
    ∘ einen Schritt (37) des Messens einer Ausbreitungszeit der Ultraschallwelle von dem ersten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bis zu dem zweiten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b),
    wobei der erste Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei einem gegebenen Zyklus dem zweiten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei einem auf den gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar folgenden Zyklus entspricht und wobei der zweite Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei einem gegebenen Zyklus dem ersten Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) bei dem auf den gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar folgenden Zyklus entspricht, dadurch gekennzeichnet, das ein gegebener Zyklus von einem dem gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar vorausgehenden Zyklus um eine Dauer, Zwischenzyklusdauer (42) genannt, größer oder gleich 15 ms getrennt ist, und dass die Steuereinheit dazu programmiert ist, mindestens einen Schritt (39) des Berechnens der Durchflussrate des Fluids durchzuführen, wobei eine Durchflussrate eines Fluids, das zum Zeitpunkt eines gegebenen Zyklus in der Leitung fließt, ausgehend von einer Differenz zwischen der für den gegebenen Zyklus gemessenen Ausbreitungszeit und einem Mittelwert zwischen der für den vorhergehenden Zyklus gemessenen Ausbreitungszeit und der für den auf den gegebenen Zyklus unmittelbar folgenden Zyklus gemessenen Ausbreitungszeit berechnet wird.
  10. Durchflussmesser nach Anspruch 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass er die Leitung (21) umfasst, an der die beiden Ultraschall-Messwandler (23a, 23b) montiert sind, wobei diese Leitung (21) zwei Längsenden aufweist, die ein Anschlusselement umfassen.
EP21793980.0A 2020-09-22 2021-09-21 Verfahren zur messung der durchflussrate eines fluids in einer leitung Active EP4217686B1 (de)

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PCT/FR2021/051617 WO2022064132A1 (fr) 2020-09-22 2021-09-21 Procédé de mesure de débit d'un fluide dans une canalisation

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GB0516752D0 (en) * 2005-08-13 2005-09-21 Flownetix Ltd A method for ultra low power transit time ultrasonic flow measurement
EP1913342B1 (de) * 2005-08-13 2019-12-04 Flownetix Limited Ultraschall-strömungsmessung mit geringem stromverbrauch
JP4788235B2 (ja) * 2005-08-16 2011-10-05 パナソニック株式会社 流体の流れ計測装置
CN102272560B (zh) 2009-01-06 2013-08-07 松下电器产业株式会社 流量测量装置
JP5753970B2 (ja) * 2010-10-22 2015-07-22 パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 流量計測装置
WO2017204117A1 (ja) * 2016-05-26 2017-11-30 富士電機株式会社 流体計測装置
EP3299774A1 (de) * 2016-09-21 2018-03-28 Kamstrup A/S Ultraschalldurchflussmesser und verfahren mit verwendung partieller durchflussmessungen
GB201804449D0 (en) * 2018-03-20 2018-05-02 Univ Warwick Fluid flow speed method and apparatus
EP3611480B1 (de) * 2018-08-17 2022-07-13 Axioma Metering, UAB Ultraschallflussmesser
US11885656B2 (en) * 2019-03-14 2024-01-30 Omron Corporation Flow-rate measuring apparatus capable of accurately measuring flow rate of fluid with reflecting viscosity of fluid

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FR3114387B1 (fr) 2023-01-20
FR3114387A1 (fr) 2022-03-25

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